NYC, N.J., Conn. pivot from heavy snow to bitter cold
After successive winters of very little snow over the last several years, the Tri-State Region finally got a snowstorm that delivered healthy amounts of snow for everyone this weekend.
How much snow did we get?
Before arriving in our neck of the woods, that same storm system put down heavy snowfall in a swath stretching from New Mexico to Pennsylvania. Even portions of Arkansas saw a foot of snow.
For New York City, not only did Sunday's storm bring the most amount of snow from one storm in nearly 4 years, but it also proved to be record breaking.
With a tally of 11.4 inches in Central Park, that was the most snow ever recorded for the date of January 25th. The old record was 10 inches, set in 1905.
And Central Park wasn't alone; every single one of our local climate reporting sites set new daily records for snowfall. Bridgeport, Connecticut downright shattered their record with a 15.1-inch total, besting the 4-inch record from 2000. Elsewhere across the region, double digit totals were quite common, especially across northern New Jersey and the Lower Hudson Valley. West Shokan, N.Y., in Ulster County, got 22 inches, followed by Marbletown, N.Y., with 19.6 inches. Closer to New York City, Monroe, N.Y. got 18 inches.
From big snow to bigger chill
The storm may now be over, but the snow on the ground is not expected melt anytime soon. A very cold pattern, featuring air from straight from the Arctic Circle, has settled into the northeastern U.S., and will be here through at least early February.
Temperatures are not expected to rise above freezing during this timeframe, and we may even challenge or set a record for the longest number of days below freezing.
Deep freeze is on the way
After the powerhouse winter storm dumped impressive snowfall totals across the region, the focus now quickly shifts to something even more biting: the cold.
Monday morning kicks off with a First Alert Weather Day, thanks to lingering snow showers and roads that are still sloppy in spots. But the real headline is the extended stretch of unseasonably cold temperatures that's on the way.
A Cold Weather Advisory goes into effect from 7 p.m. Monday night through 10 a.m. Wednesday for much of New Jersey, where it will feel like –10° to –5°. And, unfortunately, that's just the beginning.
Temperatures through next weekend are expected to run a remarkable 10 to 20 degrees below normal, staying below freezing every single day. Morning wind chills will be especially harsh, ranging anywhere from –20° to 0° across the region.
Monday starts off feeling like the single digits and teens, with a few leftover snow showers—especially north and east—before some breaks of sun appear Monday afternoon. Highs only manage the upper 20s.
Monday night turns frigid and blustery, with wind chills again dipping to between –10° and 0°.
Tuesday's still frigid, and still breezy, with wind chills near 10°.
And Wednesday keeps the cold going, delivering another day of wind chills in the 10–15° range.
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